The International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace

IFLAC is a voluntary Association that strives for peace by building bridges of understanding and peace through culture, literature and communication. IFLAC is founded and directed by Egyptian-born Israeli writer Ada Aharoni (Ph.D), since 1999.

Open Letter to Khaled Mashal – Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau

In a series of open letters to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leaders, IFLAC appeals to Hamas to change their Charter and attitude toward Israel in order to map out the path to a peace treaty between Israel and Palestine, like the one Israel has with Egypt and Jordan.

“We think that it would greatly help if you come to live among your people, the Palestinians in Gaza,” IFLAC writes in the letter below to Khaled Mashal, chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, who resides in Kuwait.

The letter is written by IFLAC Founder Dr. Ada Aharoni and Moran Balaish, IFLAC Peace Ambassador for Israel.

OPEN LETTER TO PALESTINIAN LEADER
KHALED MASHAL – CHAIRMAN OF THE HAMAS POLITICAL BUREAU

To: Mr. Khaled Mashal, Head of Hamas in Gaza, resident in Kuwait

Dear Leader Khaled Mashal,

We at “IFLAC: The International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace” send you this open PEACE PLEA in the hope that it will help to end the Conflict and Wars between Hamas and Israel. We think that it would greatly help if you come to live among your people, the Palestinians in Gaza, and guide them to a Peace Treaty with Israel, like the one with Egypt, and with Jordan.

To resolve the conflict, both Hamas and Israel should mutually recognize each other’s national aspirations. Hamas should recognize the legitimacy of the State of Israel, and Israel should abolish the occupation, and recognize the legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people to a free and viable Palestinian State, living in peace by the side of its neighbor Israel.

To accomplish this goal the following steps are needed on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides:

1. Hamas under your direction is the responsible leader in Gaza
To reach mutual recognition, Hamas should stop firing rockets at Israel, as it did again on 23.04.2015. Hamas under your direction from Kuwait, is the responsible leader in Gaza and it should not allow any rockets to be fired at Israeli villages anymore.

If as you recently declared, that the Hamas hatred Charter is not relevant anymore, Hamas should now publish a Peace Charter that clearly acknowledges the recognition of the legitimate State of Israel, and at the same time, it should demand the end of the occupation and the recognition by Israel of the Palestinian aspiration to a free Palestinian State.

2. WAR IS NOT THE WAY!
Hamas has tried several times to destroy Israel and has failed, as the last time in “Tzuk Eitan” (starting 8th of July, 2014). The poor Palestinian people have not yet rebuilt their houses and what would happen if Hamas resumes its firing of rockets at Israel as it did last week, Israel would again be forced to defend its people, and again it is the Palestinian people who would suffer most! If you are there among them, in Gaza, as a wise and responsible leader, you could rationally convince the local leaders of all factions, that War is not in their interest, and not the way to the creation of a Palestinian State. Hamas should follow the road of peace taken by Egypt, and not the aggressive road of Iran that sends its arms to start an additional war to destroy Israel.

3. Advantages of a Hamas Peace Charter
The advantages of changing the Hamas aggressive Charter and attitude toward Israel to one of peace, objectivity and openness, could pave the way to a Peace Treaty between Israel and Palestine, as the important Peace Treaty Israel has with Egypt and with Jordan. It is to the advantage of the Palestinian people and of Hamas, to adopt a totally different and new attitude toward its neighbor Israel. This revolutionary attitude could pave the way to everything which the Palestinian people aspire to: including a port of their own in Gaza, as well as an airport in a free and peaceful Palestine.

4. We appeal to you Mr. Khaled Mashal, as a responsible and rational Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, to come and live in Gaza among your people, and to do your best to convince the Palestinian leaders and people of Gaza to resolve their inner problems as quickly as possible, so that Israel can accept the Hudna (cease fire) which Hamas proposes for 3-5 years. Only if the Hamas Charter and attitude toward Israel is changed to a Peace Charter and attitude, can the peace negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders be resumed, and lead to a fruitful future for both the Palestinian and the Israeli people.